postern definition | Dictionary.com

pos⋅tern

[poh-stern, pos-tern]

–noun

1.	a back door or gate.

2.	a private entrance or any entrance other than the main one.

–adjective

3.	of, pertaining to, or resembling a postern.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME posterne < OF, var. of posterle < LL posterula, dim. of postera back door, n. use of fem. of posterus coming behind. See posterior, -ule

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pos·tern (pō'stərn, pŏs'tərn)

n. A small rear gate, especially one in a fort or castle.
adj. Situated in the back or at the side.

[Middle English posterne, from Old French, alteration of posterle, from Late Latin posterula, diminutive of Latin posterus, behind; see posterior.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Postern

Pos"tern\, n. [OF. posterne, posterle, F. poterne, fr. L. posterula, fr. posterus coming after. See Posterior.]

1. Originally, a back door or gate; a private entrance; hence, any small door or gate.

He by a privy postern took his flight. --Spenser.

Out at the postern, by the abbey wall. --Shak.

2. (Fort.) A subterraneous passage communicating between the parade and the main ditch, or between the ditches and the interior of the outworks. --Mahan.

Postern

Pos"tern\, a. Back; being behind; private. "The postern door." --Dryden.

postern

c.1290, "back door, private door," from O.Fr. posterne, earlier posterle, from L.L. posterula "small back door or gate," dim. of L. posterus "that is behind, coming after, subsequent," from post "after."

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